New Found Strength
by midnight57
Summary: Jasper has always felt terrible about what happened at Bella's party. Though everyone else has either forgiven him or never blamed him, he feels a need to redeem himself. Now is his chance.


Disclaimer: You think I'm SteMey? I wish you worked at the bank.

New Found Strength

I ran through the hallway and down the stairs, holding my breath. It was a great discomfort not to let the last intake out of my expanded lungs, but I was afraid that if I opened any airway the thick aroma would invade my olfactory passages and I would loose all control. I couldn't fail Edward, not again. Why did he leave me alone with Bella? Didn't that hit him as the least bit STUPID!? Well honestly though, who could have thought there was any human being alive who could actually draw blood while playing video games? But when you wrap the cord around your leg and attempt to walk away,thus causing the television to fall on your toe ... yeah, that can cause moderate injury, and, as it turns out, slightly more than moderate blood loss, who knew? But I could handle this, Carlisle was on duty, all I had to do was make it to the hospital without breathing.

"Jasper, you really don't have to do this. I can drive myself, I'll just use my left foot and put my right one on the passenger's seat." Bella said through gasps of pain.

I just shook my head, not wanting to have to breath. She was family, my newest and most helpless sister, it would kill my brother if I followed the raging instincts that pulsed rapidly through my body, if I couldn't do this what kind of a brother was I? I lowered her into the passenger seat of my Koenigsegg CCX, a little "feel better" gift Alice special ordered for me after last September, Edward Cullen eat your heart out, as I looked up I thought I had entered heaven.

"Alice, thank the stars!" I exclaimed as I watched my angel pull up in her Porsche and rush to my side.

"Alice, she..."

"I know, I was just leaving the boutique when I saw it, I got here as soon as I could. I'll take her to the hospital Jasper, you can stay here, you don't have to make yourself uncomfortable anymore than you already are."

I was so relieved to see her, but for some odd reason I really didn't want to let her take over. Maybe it was just my undeniable sense of duty, but I was not ready to give up my mission. This had happened on my watch, I had come this far and I had to follow through.

"No, Alice I'll drive her just come with us. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? We know you're getting better at abstaining and if we didn't before we certainly do now. You've done really good already, you don't have anything to prove to anyone."

"I have something to prove to myself!" I nearly screamed at her. I knew I was being slightly more intense than my usual demeanor allowed, but I also knew she would understand, she had seen how it effected me when I failed my family the last time, and she knew me well enough to know that that incident left me with an unfulfilled urge to redeem myself. Helping with the newborns quelled my inhibitions for a time but this was the ultimate chance at redemption, the circumstances were so similar, only this time _I_ was different, _I_ was in control, _I_ would not fail her again.

"Alice please, I can do this. Just be there with me. I need your support, but I can act on my own strength." My voice was calm but my heart pleaded that she have faith in me, against all odds, as she had all those decades before.

"Ok, I'm with you." She replied. Her confidence strengthened my resolve tenfold.

"I'll have to follow in my car, you're sure you'll be okay?"

"Trust me Alice, I can do this." With Alice, and myself throughly reassured, we set off for the hospital.

Alice had called Edward while we were on our way, and he and the others met us in the waiting room at the hospital. They had been hunting, of course, what other time did he dare leave her alone anymore? They were practically joined at the hip, and who could blame them? If i ever thought that my beautiful Alice were ... well, let's just say, I don't need my vampiric ability to realize the full impact and emotional ramifications of such a loss. I saw Edward turn from speaking to Alice and approach the place where i stood. He had an air of disapproval around him, it was not unexpected. I knew Edward would not be pleased to know that I insisted on escorting Bella to the ER gates personally. I didn't dare enter the actual emergency room. Things in there were not nearly as controlled as a simple smashed toe, and of course none of those people held my brother's heart in their hands. But it was not for him that I acted. If I had calculated his wants over my own I would have let Alice take the reins of the situation, but as I told my love, I had something to prove to myself.

"Thank you." Was Edward's only comment. But his emotions did not speak of gratitude.

"But ..." I prodded.

"But nothing. You stepped up tonight, if there is any way i can repay you i would be more than willing. You know I do not approve of some of the circumstances, but you did what you felt you had to do. You are allowed to do some things for yourself Jasper, you knew you were putting her in no danger, you proved that to Alice by getting in the car with Bella in the condition she was in. You proved it to yourself by getting her here alive. I don't think I've ever been prouder of you."

I sighed in relief. "Thank you Edward, you don't know what that means to me."

"Sure I do. It means you're off the hook." He said laughing and playfully punching my shoulder.

As Bella emerged from the ER and he ran to her instantly supporting most of her weight I couldn't help but think how right he was. If he had truly objected to my handling of the situation I don't know if I would have felt the same, but now, with his approval, somehow everything seemed okay. Almost like last September had never happened at all. I was reveling in my newfound release when Bella came up next to me.

"I just wanted to thank you Jasper. Thank you so much. I love you, my amazing brother." Her words rang sweetly in my head as she reached down and kissed me gently on the cheek. It was so unexpected, she leaned in just as I was dragging in a deep breath and it was the first time her scent had truly hit me all night. With her that close who could blame me? To everyone's horror, I swung her around, placed my lips at her neck and said ...

"Psych."

For those of you who "don't speak Car and Driver", the Koenigsegg CCX is an amazing car, I believe it was released in 2006. It has over 800HP and can go from 0-60 in 3.2. Aston Martin Vanquish takes like 6. The CCX Allegedly is responsible for America's highest speeding ticket, 242 in a 75, somewhere in Texas.


End file.
